Fluid dispenser



United States Patent Office 3,390,860 Patented July 2, 1968 ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A fluid dispenser having a bracket for connection with a shelf supporting the bottle from which the fluid is dispensed through a tube, the bracket pivotally mounting a Q lever for pinching said tube, under bias of a spring, to stop flow therethrough, the lever being manually pivotally movable to tube-releasing position against the bias of said spring.

This invention relates to fluid dispensers, especially efficacious for dispensing various fluids in small amounts, as ounces, milliliters, drops, etc. The invention has more particular usefulness to students, technicians, nurses, pharmacists, research workers, and others in schools, hospitals, pharmacies, research and other laboratories.

An object of the present invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive and improved fluid dispenser of the character referred to that is operable to dispense fluid with a single finger operation and, upon release, automatically closing fluid flow.

Another object of the invention is to provide a dispenser, as characterized, that is mountable in fixed position, the mounting means, in part, having the function, also, of cooperating with a flow release lever to shut off fluid flow.

A further object of the invention is to provide a fluid dispenser that, because the user need only touch a flow release lever to obtain fluid flow, is safe for dispensing corrosive, poisonous and volatile liquids, the simple components being readily dissassembled without tools and as simply assembled, in the event that cleansing of said components is required to remove corrosive spillage for whatever reason.

The invention also has for its objects to provide a fluid dispenser comprising novel combinations and arrangements of parts, as will hereinafter become evident as the following description of the invention unfolds.

The above objects are realized in a fluid dispenser that controls flow of fluid from a source of supply, as a bottle disposed on a support, as a shelf, by pinching a discharge flow tube extending from such a bottle, said fluid dispenser combining a bracket unit adapted for clamping on said or another adjacent shelf, and an operating lever or arm that is normally biased by a spring to pinch said tube by pressing the same against said bracket unit, the lever being finger-operated against the bias of said spring to release the pinch on the tube, thereby opening the same for fluid flow therethrough. The operating lever is pivotally carried by the bracket unit and is releasable therefrom for disassembly. The dispensing tube is advantageously made of polyvinyl, neoprene or Buna-N rubber, or other such elastic materials, depending on the fluid to be passed therethrough. In addition to resistance to chemical attack by the flow and to cracking or abrasion, the elasticity of the flow tube should be such as to insure that when the pinch is released, the same readily opens to flow.

The following description of a preferred form of fluid dispenser has basis on the device shown in the enclosed drawing, which is shown by way of example. Like numerals in the several views designated similar parts. In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view, partly in section, of the presently preferred form of fluid dispenser.

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view, partly in section, of the dispenser shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view thereof.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged detail view of a pivot that connects the two main components of the dispenser.

FIG. 1 shows a supply bottle 5 holding the fluid to be dispensed, the same being provided with an outlet tip 6, a length of flexible tubing 7 extending from said tip. Such tubing is preferably formed of crack-resisting and highly resilient or elastic material, examples of which are polyvinyl, neoprene and Buna-N rubber. Heretofore, a variety of spring clamps, strung on said tube, siphon arrangements, and the like, have been used to control flow in said tube. The present fluid dispenser replaces such cumbersome and inconvenient two-handed control means with the advantages hereinbefore mentioned.

In practice, the bottle 5 is disposed on a shelf 8 or comparable support, the same serving also as the support for the fluid dispenser 9.

According to the invention, the fluid dispenser comprises, generally, a mounting bracket 10, an operating lever 11, and a biasing spring 12 imposing a resilient force on said lever to bias the same to tube-pinching or -constricting position to close flow in tube 7 until the lever 11 is moved against the bias of the spring 12 to release the pinch and allow the tube to open to flow. The bracket 10 and lever 11 are advantageously formed as aluminum alloy extrusions so the same require but little machining to ready them for assembly with each other.

The bracket 10, as extruded, is provided with a channel portion comprising two spaced flanges 13 and 14 integrally connected by a web 15. This portion of the bracket is adapted to be engaged over the edge of shelf 8 with the flange secured against the top face of the shelf by a clamp screw 16 threadedly engaged with the flange 14. Coplanar with the flange 13 and extending on the opposite side of said flange, the bracket is formed with an extruded flange 17 in the end of which a bayonet slot 18 having a top opening 19 is formed. Also formed in the bracket 10 by extrusion is a V-notch 20 which extends transversely of the coplanar flanges 13 and 17 in register with the outer face 21 of web' 15. The transverse end edges of flanges 13 and 14 may be provided with chamfers 22. A transverse seat 23 in said face 21 is also formed by extrusion. The bracket 10 is cut from an extrusion, as above described, to a width suitable for the purpose.

The above-described bracket is completed by milling a slot 24 in the flange 17, thereby dividing said flange into two transversely spaced arms 25 in the ends of which are the mentioned bayonet slots 18 above described.

The operating lever 11, as shown, has a J-form with an elongated arm 26, an end part 27 on one end of and at an angle to said arm, and a return-bent end 28. Said lever, by extrusion, is formed with a half-round recess 29 in the outside face of the arm 26 adjacent the end part 27, with a transverse seat 30 in the outside face of said arm approximately midway of its ends, and with an end 31 with a face set inward from the outer face of the arm 26. The bent end 28 is preferably rounded over, as shown.

The above-described operating arm is substantially narrower than the bracket 10, of a width to fit the slot 24. Hence, the same will fit between the arms 25 of the bracket 10. Said lever 11 is completed by a machined opening 32 through the arm 26 between the recess 29 and the seat 30. At the upper end of said opening 32, the inner face of the lever arm 26 is provided with an upwardly directed chamfer 33 and at the lower end of said opening, the outer face of said arm is provided with a downwardly directed chamfer 34.

The above-described integrally formed operating arm 9 is provided with a sheet metal member 35 that fits the seat 30, is formed with a loop 36 on the outside of the arm 26, and with a tab 37 extending from the opposite side. A pivot pin 38 with trunnion ends is pressed tightly into the recess 29.

The operating arm 9 is pivotally connected to the arm 25 of the mounting bracket 10 with the arm 26 thereof parallel to the web of said bracket, by entering the trunnion ends of pin 38 into the bayonet slots 18 in the bracket arms 17. The expansion coil spring 12 disposed between said arm 26 and web 15 and with its ends in the seats 23 and 30, which are in opposed alignment, holds the bracket and arm in assembly with the arm end 28 directed toward the top face of the clamp flange 13. The tab 37 centers said spring in said seats.

The tubing 7 extends from the outlet tip 6 of the bottle, passes between said bracket flange 13 and arm end 28, over the angular face a of the notch 20, at a downward and forward angle to pass through the opening 32 in the operating arm, the chamfers 33 and 34 providing smooth non-abrading surfaces where the tubing enters and leaves the opening, and finally through the loop 36 to extend downwardly to a greater or lesser distance as desired. The inherent tendency of the tubing to straighten except where confined causes its end 39 to space itself from the end 31 of the operating lever.

It will be seen that the bias of spring 12 causes the arm end 28 to press and flatten the tube against the bracket flange 13, closing the same to flow, as can be seen in FIG. 1. Any suitable receiving container 40 may be held by the thumb and one or two fingers, while a third finger, preferably the forefinger, on the upper end of the container 40 presses rearwardly against the arm part 31. The resultant tilting of the operating arm, against the spring bias, releases the tubing where the same is pinched to institute flow from the end 39 of the tubing. The container 40 may he graduated so the amount of the flow can be measured. Flow in small increments, such as drops, may be had by controlling the lever movement by the finger that operates it.

Upon release of the lever 11, the tubing is again pinched by automatic pressure of the spring 12.

While I have illustrated and disclosed what I now contemplate to be the best mode of carrying out my invention, the construction is, of course, subject to modification without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention. Therefore, I do not wish to restrict myself to the particular form of construction illustrated and described, but desire to avail myself of all modifications that may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim and desire to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A fluid dispenser comprising:

(a) a mounting bracket provided with an upper horizontal flange,

(b) a pair of transversely spaced horizontal arms fixedly extending forwardly from said flange,

(c) an operating lever disposed between said arms with an end thereof directed toward and above said bracket flange,

(d) a horizontal pivot on which said lever is swingably mounted,

(e) a flexible flow tube connected to a source of liquid and extending between said bracket flange and said lever end and terminating in a dispensing end, and

(f) a spring between said bracket and lever to bias the latter to press said lever end in a direction to pinch the tube against said bracket flange to flatten and close the tube to flow,

(g) the pivot between the fixed bracket arms and the operating lever comprising trunnions extending laterally from the edges of the operating arm, and bayonet slots in the fixed arms, open at one end for insertion of the trunnions therein, and into which said trunnions are fitted.

2. A fluid dispenser according to claim 1 in which the lever has an operating end that is provided with an outer loop, the dispensing end of said tube extending through said loop and being confined thereby to a disposition in front of the latter end of the lever.

3. A fluid dispenser according to claim 1 in which the operating lever has an opening therein through which the dispensing end of the tube extends, and a loop on said lever through which the latter end of the tube extends and which confines said tube end to a disposition in front of the latter end of the lever.

4. A fluid dispenser according to claim 1 in which the bracket and operating lever are formed as lengths of aluminum alloy extrusions.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 989,503 4/ 1911 Hildebrand 251-9 XR 2,772,695 12/1956 Harrison 251368 XR 2,808,185 10/1957 Norris et al 251-9 XR 3,195,788 7/1965 Wilson 25l--9 X R FOREIGN PATENTS 170,330 7/ 1951 Austria. 626,257 3/ 1936 Germany.

WILLIAM F. ODEA, Primary Examiner.

R. GERARD, Assistant Examiner. 

